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ENTERTAINING 
WITHOUT A MAID 

(By &dna Sibletf Cfipton 




Entertaining Without 
A Maid 



CORRECT TABLE SERVICE for the BREAKFAST 
PARTY, LUNCHEON, AFTERNOON TEA, the AFTER- 
NOON RECEPTION, DINNER PARTY and SUNDAY 
NIGHT SUPPER 

"Wherever a true wife comes, the home 
is always round her." Certain it is that 
from the beginning of time women have 
loved to spread their tables and welcome 
guests within the circle of their hearths. 
Even the word lady means the "loaf- 
giver." 

But in these practically maidless days, 
entertaining seems to present so many 
cares that not only the brides, but the 
older homemakers as well, hesitate to 
assume the burdens of hostesship, with 
the result that we are in grave danger of 
losing the gracious art of hospitality. 




©CI A 696027 

Copyright, 1922, by The McCall Company L/tb 18 Ct 







The finger bowls usually placed on the fruit plates may be put at the left 
of the napkins, when the fruit is placed on the fruit plates for the breakfast served 

without a maid 

The Breakfast Party 

LET us suppose you have just received a letter from someone whom you will 
- be delighted to entertain, despite the fact that you are obliged to do all your 
own work. Let us assume, also, that she is to arrive by an early train in time for 
breakfast which you will serve in the so-called "English Style" because it is the 
simplest and easiest way to do it. 

To save time in the morning, set your table the night before as far as it is 
practicable to do so. For each person to be served lay a plate-sized doily; or, 
runners may be used, as in the illustration. Each place has a fruit-plate on which 
the fruit is placed the following morning. At the left is a finger-bowl to be one- 
third filled with warm water. Lay the silver on the right and left of the fruit- 
plate with the pieces to be used first placed farthest from it and the rest of it in 
the order, going toward the plate, that the courses are to be served. Place a doily- 
covered asbestos mat in front of your place upon which to set the coffee-pot and 
the hot milk and put the cups, sugar bowl and cream pitcher beside it. Set the 
bowl for fruit upon the centerpiece. It will be convenient to use an electric or 
alcohol percolator for coffee. 

The knives should be placed with the sharp edges toward the plate. Water 
glasses should stand on small doilies at the blade-end of the knives. Butter plates 
with butter spreaders should be at the tine ends of the forks. Place salt and 
pepper shakers in front of each plate or between places. 

While your husband is gone to meet your guest you will prepare the breakfast; 
put the fruit in the bowl; fill the finger-bowls and water glasses; serve the indi- 
vidual butter plates and place a plate of extra butter on the table for "emergency 



calls;" add jam, marmalade or other condiment; fill the cream pitcher, and do 
all the little things, in fact, that will avoid unnecessary jumping-up from the table 
during the meal. 

When the food that is specially prepared is ready to serve, place it upon the 
buffet, in the dining-room, except toast (if you serve any), which should be placed 
upon the table in a special rack or on a plate, unless you use an electric toaster, 
in which case it should be made as required. 

Now that all is ready, each one, as you know, takes his finger-bowl and doily 
off the fruit-plate and sets it before him on the table and then helps himself to 
fruit. 

When all have finished with fruit you will announce that food may be found 
on the buffet (cereal, ham, bacon or eggs) and invite each one to help himself. 
(It is customary to have this food in chafing or hot-water dishes to keep it warm.) 
In addition to the food the buffet should be provided with extra plates, dishes 
and serving knives, forks and spoons with which each may serve himself, after 
having removed his fruit-plate to a side table. You, of course, will serve the 
coffee, adding sugar, hot milk or cream according to the known or ascertained 
preference of each one. Train your husband to remove your used plates so that 
you may attend to the coffee. 



^V_ 




When all are seated at the luncheon table the cup of hot bouillon is placed on 

the service plate before each guest. If the first course is cold it may be placed 

upon the table before luncheon is announced 



At Luncheon 



YOU desire, perhaps, to set the table for an informal luncheon and serve it, course 
by course, as it should be done. Let us suppose you have selected a four-course 
luncheon for which most of the dishes can be prepared in advance, for this is 
always a wise plan, even if you keep a maid regularly. 

Put a plate-sized doily at each place and upon this a service plate with a small 
doily of lace or linen and the dish of your first course — if it is a cold dish. Hot 
bouillon or other hot dishes must be served after all are seated, of course. 

Silver must be placed on the right and left sides of the service plates. Folded 
napkins should lie on the left side of the plates next the piece of silver farthest 
from them. Those pieces of silver to be used first should always be farthest from 
either side of the plates and the rest placed in the order that the courses for 
which they are intended are to be served, going toward the plates. 

Knives are always placed with the sharp edges toward the plate. Water glasses 
are set upon small doilies at the plate-ends of the knives and butter plates (on 
small doilies) with spreaders on them at the ends of the fork tines. Salt and 
pepper shakers stand in front of each plate, between couples or wherever they will 
be most convenient for the greatest number of persons. 

Since this is to be an informal luncheon, we may place such things as celery, 
olives, radishes and so forth on the table when it is set. Salted nuts should be 
served in small individual dishes set in front of each plate or in one or two larger 
dishes for passing around. For candy, use two bonbon dishes, each placed half- 
way between the centre and the ends of the table. Besides the doilies already 
mentioned, one is sometimes placed on the right of each service plate next the 



outside piece of silver upon which to set containers for such other liquid than 
water as you may decide to serve with the main course. 

Often a member of the family will agree to help serve the luncheon so that the 
hostess herself need not leave the table. Or, one who does not have a maid regu- 
larly frequently employs the temporary services of a maid-by-the-day for this 
purpose. 

The second course may be served in either one of two ways. When the first 
course is finished the maid (if you are using the services of one), may bring in a 
warm plate from the kitchen, carrying it in her right hand, and, passing to the 
right of the hostess, first, lift the used dishes in her left hand and replace them 
with the warm plate; likewise with the person to the right of the hostess; then 
she continues around the table until all are furnished with warm plates. All used 
dishes are taken to the pantry as they are removed from the table, unless the 
pantry should be inconveniently distant from the dining-room and there is a 
serving table near the door upon which to place them temporarily. Even there, 
they must not be scraped and stacked but merely left for removal to the pantry 
at the first opportunity. 

Now that all the warm plates for the second course are on the table, the maid 
brings in the platter of meat, passing it to the hostess on her left and continuing 
around the table until all have served themselves. Next she passes the vegetables 
in the same manner and then returns them and the meat to the kitchen to be 
kept warm till passed a second time. Of course these dishes from which those 
at table help themselves must be supplied with spoons and forks for serving. 
(Individual plates are not carried on a napkin but dishes from which people are 
to serve themselves always are.) 

Next, the bread is passed to the left of each one. Coffee or tea is placed to 
the right next the last piece of silver. Then serve the cream and sugar, carried 
on a small tray, to the left. 

If you prefer, this second course may be served by the hostess herself, without 
the help of any member of the family or of a temporary maid. In this case, the 
hostess, of course, must leave the table in the following way: 

The warm plates which replace the dishes of the first course may have a serv- 
ing of the meat and each of the vegetables on them when they are brought in 
from the kitchen. If hot rolls are to be served, one may be on each of these 
plates. If bread is served (cut in dainty slices), it may be put on the butter 
plates in advance. 

The simplest way to serve salad is to replace the used dishes of the preceding 
course with individual salad plates served from the kitchen, after which pass the 
crackers or wafers. 

When dessert is to be served there is no exchange of plates. The salad plates 
are first removed, then the bread-and-butter plates, the cups, all unused silver and 
the salt and pepper shakers. Next all doilies, except the plate-doilies and those 
on which stand candy or nut dishes and glasses, are removed. The crumbs, 
must then be brushed from the table into a plate, with a folded napkin. 

You may have dessert served in a large dish from which each one may help 
oneself, or direct from the kitchen in individual dishes resting on service plates, 
one of which is simply placed before each person. Each plate must carry a dessert 
spoon. Immediately all have been served, place a finger-bowl in front of and a 
little to the left of each person. The finger-bowl should be on a small plate. 




At the afternoon reception it is customery to serve two beverages, which necessi- 
tates arranging two places for serving at the table. Between the trays are 
arranged plates of sandwiches, cakes, candies and nuts from which the guests 

help themselves 

The Afternoon Reception 

THE formal reception is the most commonly used device of society for the 
discharge of accumulated social obligations at one fell swoop, as it were. 

It serves another useful purpose — the introduction of a fortnight guest to 
your circle of friends and acquaintances. 

Of course, receptions are given also to honor a visiting celebrity or the return 
of some member cf the family, particularly if he or she has attained wealth or 
fame or some other achievement of which "those at home" feel proud. 

They may be made as elaborate and expensive or as simple and modest as 
you choose, but, always, they should be faultless in form. The success of your 
effort will not be measured by the quality and daintiness of the food, but by the 
perfection of the service and the pleasure you give those who attend. 

Sometimes the table is set with doilies, but often it is covered with a hand- 
some linen, lace and embroidered cover, through which the polished wood of the 
table shows. In the centre is usually placed a bowl of flowers surrounded by 
candles; but the clever hostess can substitute other decorations suitable to the 
occasion for which the affair is given. The coffee urn is placed on one end of the 
table and the chocolate or tea service on the other. The eatables may be dis- 
tributed over the rest of the table to present a pleasing picture. 

After being received by the hostess, the guests pass on to the dining-room 
where her friends preside at the coffee urn and tea pot. These ladies ascertain 
the preferences of each guest and serve them accordingly. Very often maids con- 
stantly pass trays upon which are sandwiches, cakes, ices, spoons, napkins, plates, 
forks, and so forth. One maid, frequently is detailed to relieve the guests of 
their dishes when they have finished with them. 

But you do not need to employ the help of even one maid. It is always pos- 
sible to get temporary help for the occasion. But, what is better still, it is not 



necessary to employ any maid, for the food can be prepared easily in advance. It 
may all be put upon the table at one time, and it is proper to ask one's intimate 
friends to attend to the passing of the food, relieving guests of used dishes, and 
so forth — the younger guests are generally delighted to assist. If the affair is 
likely to last through the afternoon you should ask more than one set of your 
friends to preside at the table as it would exhaust a single set out to remain on 
duty so long. 

Usually the hostess arranges to have flowers in every room in which her guests 
are apt to go. She sets aside one room for depositing wraps. In this room she 
places a box of powder and puffs made of cotton and tied with wee ribbons the 
color of the decorations in the room, for the use of the guests. 

Often a musical program is given during the afternoon. The hostess may 
either ask her friends to perform or she may hire outside talent. If one gives an 
elaborate affair, an orchestra may render selections thoughout the afternoon. The 
orchestra is placed usually in the hall behind a screen of palms which may be 
rented for the occasion. 

Often the hostess' most intimate friends send baskets and boxes of flowers, 
particularly if the hostess is introducing her dubutante daughter; but no hostess 
should rely on the generosity of her friends. 




For afternoon tea the tea-wagon or tray should hold the kettle, teapot, sugar, cream 
and sliced lemon, cups, tea plates, sandwiches, cakes, silver, and small napkins. 



Afternoon Tea 



AFTERNOON tea or "tiffin" as it is sometimes called, is a delightful custom 
that has won its way into favor here in America. In one country in which 
T have lived it was considered an inexcusable "social blunder" not to serve tea 
when anyone called on you in the late afternoon. 

In the large cities of this country and others tea is served in the theatres and 
on de luxe railway trains. In some countries even the laborers are called from 
shop and field at tea-time — in fact they would refuse a "job" where tea did not 
form a part of the consideration for their daily toil. 

The skeptic is inclined to regard it as merely a habit or a social affectation, 
but it is an antidote for weariness and will refresh you at the close of the day. 

In these almost maidless days, many of us have all but ceased to invite our 
friends in to "break bread" with us, because we dread to undertake a dinner party 
of even the simplest sort without help. Except for mixed parties, however, 
"tiffin" offers the opportunity for entertaining delightfully, either when your 
friends call informally or spend the afternoon with you by invitation. It is so 
very easy to prepare and serve that you really do not need a maid. You may 
make it either as simple or as elaborate as you please — serve only tea and toast 
or cakes or both, or add sandwiches, ice-cream, candy and nuts, if you wish. 

Everything is placed upon a tray or tea-wagon. You guests help you serve 
the repast because each one helps herself while you make tea and "pour." 

One always provides each small plate with a tea napkin and fork and each 
cup and saucer with a spoon. Besides the food served at one of these informal 
teas the tray must hold a tea-pot, hot-water jug or swinging-kettle, tea caddy 
and any small dishes for nuts or candies, if you serve them. 




A Sunday night supper is a delightfully informal way of entertaining. The chafing 
dish may be placed upon the table and the one hot dish of the menu cooked and 

served from it 

Sunday Night Supper 

I KNOW one woman who has become actually famous among her friends and 
acquaintances on account of the gatherings at her table Sunday nights. 

Of course, such suppers will be serviceless — as far as maids go. The table 
will be set long before the guests arrive and most of the food will have been pre- 
pared the day before, if you serve a cold supper. If you wish to serve a hot 
supper, supply yourself with one or two chafing-dishes and a tea service. Then 
you can cook the supper on the table and so add to the fun. You might also 
use an electric toaster and detail one of your guests to attend to it. 

If you are serving a cold meal you might have : cold meat, potato salad, pickles 
and olives, iced tea, jelly, bread-and-butter, cakes and nuts. 

It is surprising how people like to sit at the table and empty a large bowl 
of nuts after they think they could not eat another mouthful. Of course, all 
the dishes of this meal can be on the table before the guests are seated. 

For a hot supper you might serve the old stand-by, Welsh rarebit. Eggs a la 
king or chicken a la king make a great hit. All one needs to serve with either 
of the last two named is a salad, potato chips, jam, cake and coffee, tea or 
chocolate. 

A bowl of fruit in the centre of the table makes a very pretty decoration and 
the fruit can be used as a finishing course. 

The hostess, who I told you became famous for her suppers, uses a "Lazy 
Susan" upon which she always places the bread, extra butter, cakes, cheese and 
crackers. Then she places dishes of either nuts, fruit or candy on either side of 
the "Lazy Susan," half-way between the centre of the table and the two ends. 

8 




Nowadays for dinner a damask tablecloth need not always replace the doilies or 
runners used on other occasions though it is more formal. The flower arrange- 
ment, china, silver and glass are artistically simple 

The Dinner Party 



MANY women who have no maids serve "high tea" when they wish to enter- 
tain a mixed party of guests. Others give informal dinners for which they 
engage a girl especially for the occasion. When one does this it is well to ascer- 
tain whether the temporary maid knows how to announce dinner. You know 
she should simply appear at the living-room door and quietly say, "Dinner is 
served." 

Even one maid can serve the food Russian style, which is the proper manner 
of serving today. This means that as the used dishes of a previous course are 
removed they are replaced with plates or dishes of the next course. One is never 
without some kind of a plate in front of him, except between the serving of the 
salad and dessert. 

Dinner is the only meal at which we usually have a table cover. Doilies or run- 
ners formerly were never correct at dinner. Today, "table laces" are smart and 
often the elaborate lace and embroidered cover replaces the formal damask cloth. If 
the cloth is used, the table is first covered with a silence cloth made of canton 
flannel. Over this is spread the tablecloth, the crease 'being in the exact middle 
of the table. The centerpiece must be on this line, half-way between the two ends 
of the table. Some table decoration is usually placed upon this. Lighted candles 
encircle it. 

Of course, the piece of silver used for dessert, also the after-dinner coffee 
spoon, is brought in at the time that course is served. Butter is not served at 
formal dinners. A roll or square of bread is placed between the folds of each 
napkin. 



Any number of courses may be served at formal dinners — sometimes four- 
teen — but it is best not to serve more than four or five when you have only one 
maid and her only for the meal you are serving. 

If the first course is cold it may be placed upon the service plate at each place 
before the guests are seated, but if it is hot it must be placed there after all are 
seated. As the maid removes the dishes of that course in one hand she replaces them 
with the plate carried in her other hand for the next course. When all are sup- 
plied with fresh plates she passes the dishes containing the food of the second 
course, first the meat, then each of the vegetables, and so forth, each dish being 
provided with a spoon and fork for service. 

For each course after this one up to the time of clearing the table for dessert 
she does the same as she did for the second course. 

Following the salad-course, the maid removes everything except the candy 
dishes and the water glasses. She brushes the table with a folded napkin, using a 
plate for the crumbs. 

When all have been supplied with dessert and coffee, finger-bowls on small 
plates covered with doilies and one-third filled with warm water are placed in 
front of and a little to the left of each person. 

In exchanging individual plates, the maid goes to the right. In passing dishes 
from which those at table serve themselves, she goes to the left. She carries these 
dishes on a folded napkin. She places everything that one drinks at the right of 
each person. 



10 



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